


Sacrifice

by Aroomie



Series: Witcher Fic's [6]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Character Death, Cirilla Finds Jaskier instead of Geralt, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Jaskier | Dandelion Friendship, How Do I Tag, Hurt Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt No Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Lost Jaskier | Dandelion, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Not A Fix-It, Pain, Poison, Post-Episode: S01E06 Rare Species, Sad Ending, Sad Jaskier | Dandelion, There is no happy here, Tissue Warning, Whump, Young Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:15:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26415502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aroomie/pseuds/Aroomie
Summary: It felt like years since the mountain. Every day moving by so slowly, Jaskier officially felt like there was no point in anything anymore.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Witcher Fic's [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852585
Comments: 16
Kudos: 222





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously... There is Major Character Death in this... Don't read if you don't like heart-wrenching. @~@

When he met the Witcher, he believed his luck had finally changed, that he would prove his parents wring about him. It worked, for a while, until more and more demands of him came down the grapevine, in messages, and he worked all the harder to prove his worth, his choices, to his parents, and the Witcher.

When Jaskier first hinted at his feelings, Geralt was utterly oblivious to it. The next time he tried, Geralt had resulted in somehow hexing him with a djinn… A djinn! Then proceeded to tie himself to a scary, all be it drop-dead gorgeous, sorceress who saved his life and proceeded to watch as the Witcher plowed into her like his life depended on it. 

When Jaskier finally managed to get the message across, _finally_ having Geralt understand his feelings, the Witcher left and later returned drunk, then proceeded to remove Jaskier's clothes and fuck him silly. Yennefer's name whispered on his lips. Jaskier felt crushed for the longest time, Geralt truly only wanted the sorceress… That was fine, he was fine.

He wasn't fine. Every time Geralt chose to do something stupid, rash, or utterly mind-boggling, Jaskier told him off for it and the Witcher retaliated by pushing the bard against or over the nearest thing and pounded into him till they were both spent. Geralt moaned for Yennefer less and less, Jaskier finally feeling like he had some hope with the Witcher, until that god's forsaken mountain. The day he truly believed his life ended.

"If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take _you_ off my hands!" 

The words echoed in Jaskier's mind the entire way down the mountain. He'd gotten lost a few times, stumbled down the wrong path more than once, scraped his knees, and ripped his clothes. He didn't care, nothing mattered, the Witcher had taken everything the bard had ever offered him and crushed it underfoot and over what? A stupid woman who couldn't realize how perfect the Witcher was. All because of a fucking wish.

When Jaskier came across Roach, he took his extra clothes and packed them into a smaller pouch taken from Geralt, and in his heartbroken rage, Jaskier pulled out the Witcher's coin pouch and took a good handful. If the Witcher can leave him to die, Jaskier can take what he needs till he reaches another town. The bard eyed the Witcher's potion bottles next, frowning hard at their glittering tops, and out of spite, he took out the ones that had the most commonly found ingredients and threw them at the nearest tree, a small satisfaction filling the bard as he watched the vials shatter into pieces. He gave Roach one last pat on the nose, gently scrubbing along her flack as he finally walked away and didn't look back.

Now here he was. Sitting in the middle of fuck shit nowhere, poking at the pitiful fire he managed to make and picking at berries he'd picked up from a nearby bush. He sighed heavily and continued to poke and prod at the flame till something in the woods snapped and Jaskier jumped to his feet, scanning the area for anything, the poking stick he was using posed like a weapon. 

Jaskier half expected a monster to just jump out and start chowing down on him, what he didn't expect was the flash of blue and sudden collision that knocked both him and this thing that ran into him onto the ground with loud grunts and later denied yelps. Jaskier lay there, not moving, staring wide-eyed at the canopy of trees overhead till the thing moved and he looked down to see two bright green eyes, framed with ashen-hair, staring widely at him.

"Princess?!" Jaskier asked with an undignifying squeak and the girl's face lit up with relief.

"Jaskier!" She flung herself at him and hugged around his shoulders tightly, her entire body now trembling, and Jaskier wrapped her up tight in his arms and soon the girl was sobbing. Jaskier just held her through it, rubbing her back and carding his fingers in her hair, he used a spare cloth from his pack to wipe her face clean once she had mostly finished with her crying, using the water of her tears to wipe away most of the grime off her face.

It didn't take long before she was telling him what happened, the girl always liked Jaskier, he wintered in Cintra a lot over the years and Ciri had begun to buzz with energy every time winter drew near in hopes of seeing the bard. Ciri had eventually begun crying again when she started to tell about how her grandmother died, the doppler, everything that's happened just because they want her, and Jaskier wrapped her up in his arms once again and held her tight. Jaskier had to get Ciri to Geralt somehow… The bard looked around them and frowned slightly, it was already snowing, Geralt had always told Jaskier whenever they parted for winter that the pass closed quickly once the snow started to fall.

"What do you go by now?" Jaskier asked when the silence dragged on and Ciri looked up at him with a tilted head. "When you are in towns, it's not safe to use your real name." Jaskier said gently and Ciri's eyes lit up again with understanding.

"Fiona." She said and Jaskier nodded, rubbing her back as she shivered.

"Alright, Fiona. Here's the plan… We need to get you to Kaer Morhen, to Geralt." Ciri nodded. "To do that, we need to get a horse that’s strong enough to get us threw the mountains." Jaskier worried his lower lip between his teeth. "I know someone who owes me a favor… We might be able to get help from them." Jaskier smiled at her and Ciri stared with wide eyes as Jaskier laid out a new plan so easily. 

"I will introduce you as Fiona, my illegitimate child that was left with me after your mother died." Ciri nodded as she listened. "Luckily enough, we are close enough to the town where that person owes me a favor that we should be there by evening tomorrow, and if we are even luckier, they can get us a strong horse." Jaskier smiled at Ciri and the girl just kept nodding, absorbing everything Jaskier told her.

"Sleep, for now, you look like you haven't slept in weeks." Jaskier said and gently pressed his lips to her hair as she cuddled in against him, refusing to release her grip on his doublet as she fell asleep. Jaskier took a long deep breath, wondering what exactly he's getting himself into this time, and unfortunately, whether he likes it or not, he still loves Geralt. The chance to see the Witcher again while proving he can keep Ciri safe and get her safely to the Witcher? He'd die doing just that. 

~~~~

As it turned out, Jaskier and Ciri had horseshoes falling out of everywhere. Not only did Jaskier's friend procure a horse for them, a young stallion with plenty of experience and energy that could ride for days on end without a break if really necessary, but he had also stuffed the saddlebags with enough food that would last their entire journey and bedrolls for them as well as warmer clothes. They spent the night there, eating a nice hot meal and slept in the most comfortable bed either of them has had in a while and set out in the morning. 

As it turned out, that's where their luck had ended. They spent a solid week on the road, everything was fine, they had good nights rest, full stomachs, and the horse was more then what Jaskier's friend had promised. What wasn't promised was the troop of Nilfguardians waiting for them at the turn to the pass.

"Hand over the princess, Bard!" One of them yelled and Jaskier tightened his grip on the reigns of the horse, he'd chosen to walk while Ciri rode, the young princess wanting to try her hand at his lute. Jaskier looked at Ciri for a brief second and the princess scooted just that little bit further in the saddle and slid her foot out of the foothold.

"What princess? This is my daughter, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Ask he spoke, Jaskier walked to the side of the stallion. When the men yelled again, Jaskier quickly jumped up into the saddle and Ciri kicked the horse into a gallop before the bard was even settled in his seat. 

The large horse plowed through the soldiers like a knife through butter and continued down the turn towards the pass, the men yelling behind them and suddenly arrows were flying past their heads. Jaskier frowned hard drove the horse faster, the large beast huffing loudly but also seemed pleased to just be able to let loose, Jaskier was vaguely aware of the yelling behind them die down to silence before a dull throb in his shoulder made him look back.

"Fuck…" Jaskier mumbled and Ciri looked back at him.

"You're shot!" She screeched and Jaskier just nodded solemnly.

"Yes… I am." Jaskier looked back at her and smiled, the girl clutching the bard's lute to her chest the entire time they ran. They stopped once, later in the afternoon so that Ciri could take the arrow out and clean the wound the best she could, and made camp for the night. As soon as light filtered through the trees, Jaskier was up and packing everything, the throb in his shoulder not quite gone but was now spreading and the man frowned as he pressed his forehead against the horses flank and took a deep breath.

"Come on, princess. Time to go. We're not going to stop after this." Jaskier said and helped Ciri onto the horse. Jaskier rode the horse harder then he needed too, silently apologizing to the magnificent beast as he carried them day and night, going slower on the thinner more rocky paths of the pass and at one point Jaskier and Ciri had to walk alongside the stallion as it was too rocky for him to carry them.

Just as Jaskier felt his vision fuzzing at the sides, his concentration faltering, Ciri cheered loudly and shook his shoulder, pointing at the keep ahead of them and Jaskier could only smile as he pushed the horse into a gallop on the final stretch. 

"We made it!" Ciri cried loudly as they approached the gate.

"What the hell?" A voice above them made them look and they met the wide golden gaze of a dark-haired Witcher with scars that marred his upper lip.

"Good day to you, dear Witcher." Jaskier said. "My name is Jaskier, I'm here to see Geralt of Rivia." The Witcher leaning over the walls stared at them with wide eyes before disappearing and Ciri clung to Jaskier's arm as the bard climbed off the horse and helped the young girl down as well just as the gate opened. Jaskier held her hand as they walked through, pulling the horse along with them, and paused as three other Witcher's, as well as the scarred one, was standing there.

"What the fuck, Jaskier?!" Geralt yelled. Ah, there it was. "Why the hell did you drag her all the way up here!?" Geralt took an angry step towards them and Jaskier was about to answer but was stopped as Ciri yelled.

"Don't talk to him like that! He saved me!" Ciri screamed and Geralt's eyes went wide. "I ran into him in the woods, Cintra is gone! My grandmother is gone!" Ciri sobbed out the last bit. "She told me to find you, but where were you?! Did you even care to know what was happening?!" Ciri sobbed out and Geralt took a small step back, looking lost.

"Ciri." Jaskier said quietly and pulled the girl to him, hugging her close, and whispered gently in her ear. The Witcher's watched in anticipation as Jaskier spoke to the girl until finally she nodded and pulled back, wiping away her tears and looked at Geralt again. She hesitantly to a step towards him, then another, then she was running toward Geralt and throwing her arms around his shoulders and the man knelt and wrapped her in his arms. Jaskier watched from afar, smiling some, and finally rose to his feet but stumbled back against the horse and needed to lean on him.

"You alright there, bard?" Jaskier glanced over at the voice, the Witcher with a widows-peak staring at him with a pinched brow.

"I'm alright." Jaskier waved him off and gently smacked the horses rump to make it walk towards the Witchers. "He belongs to Ciri." he said when the scarred Witcher gave him a questioning look.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" The oldest looking of the Witcher's asked when Jaskier turned to leave, not even having removed anything from the horse's saddle.

"Uhm… Away?" Jaskier questioned and then Geralt gave Jaskier a funny look. "I'm not welcome here, by him, and I don't intend to make his winter uncomfortable." Jaskier said and Ciri frowned.

"But I want you to stay!" She said and Jaskier just smiled at her.

"Sorry, princess. I can't do that." Jaskier looked at Geralt then. "I do not wish to shovel any more shit onto my loves life, so, I am removing myself from his hands." Jaskier bowed his head to Ciri, smiling at her sadly. "I do not need my lute or any of my belongings, do with them as you will." And with that, Jaskier turned on his heel and slowly walked back the way he came. There were a couple of smacks and a few growls, and suddenly Jaskier felt a strong hand gripping his shoulder and he looked back to see Geralt standing there with a pleading look on his face.

"Jaskier… Look. I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said on the mountain. Please, stay." Geralt said softly and Jaskier just smiled at him, reaching up and gently patting his hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry, my love… I can't." Jaskier said quietly and Geralt opened his mouth to ask what he meant by that, what was going on, when suddenly a wave of nausea washed over the bard and he crumpled to the ground, his body heaving and a gush of blood rushed from his lips.

"Jask!" Geralt was quick to cradle the bard in his arms, holding him close as blood continued to gush from his mouth. 

"Fuck, fuck! Vesemir!" Geralt yelled, the scarred Witcher quickly picking Ciri up and carrying her away from the scene despite her yelling for Jaskier and the other two Witcher's ran over to Geralt and Jaskier. The bard felt other hands on his body, checking him over, lifting parts of his clothing to check for wounds, they lifted his shirt and all three of them recoiled from the stench of death oozing out from under the offending fabric. The smell of the poison that tipped the arrow that hit Jaskier was stuck under the shirt, and since he refused to stop for anything till they reached Kear Morhen, the stink was twice as strong from the sweat that seeped into the clothing from all the layers. 

"Gods… No, no, no no!" Geralt mumbled and rolled Jaskier around in his arms when the bard finally stopped vomiting blood and stared down into dimming cornflower blue eyes.

"You can't. No! Jask, you can't die. Not like this!" Geralt pleaded and Jaskier just smiled weakly.

"Proved value… yes?" Jaskier asked weakly and Geralt felt tears stinging his eyes.

"You were always valuable! I'm sorry, Jask, I'm sorry! Please!" Geralt sobbed, completely unaware of the voices surrounding him, his eyes stuck on the dim blues of his bard as he cupped the increasingly pale cheek.

"Shhh, is okay…" Jaskier whispered and Geralt shook his head hard, golden eyes squeezing shut, a warm forehead pressed again a cold and clammy one as Jaskier weakly brought his hand up, cold fingers tracing across Geralt's jaw and the Witcher let out a broken sound and quickly grabbed into those fingers. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, so fucking sorry." Geralt babbled, now rocking Jaskier side to side, the bard making weak tired shushing sounds. The hand in his grip going limp and Jaskier's head falling from his and Geralt opened his eyes in a panic and stared in horror as Jaskier's head lulled back, eyes shut and skin pale.

"Jaskier… Jaskier? Jask!" Geralt desperately called for him but Jaskier's eyes didn't open again, a broken scream ripping its way out of Geralt's throat as he held the bard tightly.

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I went down the lovely rabbit hole labeled "Depression" today... This is what came of that. *flails*  
> Do feel better though. @_@
> 
> Maybe if I'm ever feeling better I'll... idk... Fix this? Somehow...?


End file.
